21st Century Leadership
Bruce Lombard
Teach Each Other
Jeff Charbonneau

Gift Law Now Applicable to School
District Officials
MSBA Staff
The key to better teaching is a
principal who boosts morale
Heidi Hahn
New pension reporting rules may sound false
alarms about districts being in the red
Susan Barbieri
Safe Schools: What School Board Members
Need to Know
Steve Swensen
The MSBA Journal thanks
the students of Ulen-Hitterdal
Public Schools for sharing
their art in this issue.

Quotes of Note captures some of the more interesting statements
MSBA staff have read in local, state and national publications.

MSBA on the ACT

New approach to truancy

“I think it’s a real issue for districts.
Accountability is a good thing, but at
the end of the day, you also have to
understand you have a limited number of
instructional days.”

“The best accomplishment of all of this is
that everyone is working together instead
of doing their own separate things.”

MSBA Executive Director Kirk Schneidawind,
regarding some educators’ concern over the
state requiring the ACT tests and MCA tests
for graduation

“I voted for a school”
“The community has given us a wonderful
gift with this new school. Recently, a man
in our community told me he ‘didn’t vote
for a building to be built. I voted for a
school to be built.’ That showed me that
this community truly values education.”
United South Central Superintendent Jerry
Jenson, on his district’s new school funded
by a voter-approved bond referendum

All-Day K
“The investment that has been made
in all-day kindergarten and in early
learning scholarships and breakfast for
kindergartners is going to have a really
significant impact on students across the
state of Minnesota and in Osseo Area
Schools.”
Osseo Area Superintendent Kate Maguire

“I learned about the importance of allday kindergarten from the experts, the
teachers who really have that knowledge
and have that comparison of part-day
with all-day, and talk about the additional
academic progression they were able to
provide.”
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton

“I think the high level of our standards
now requires that we have full-day
kindergarten.”
Minnesota Department of Education
Commissioner Brenda Cassellius

Rochester School Liaison Officer Lisa
Weber, on a new approach to truancy that
focuses on teamwork among the school
district, police and parents, and assigns a
new prominence to the county attorney’s
office, which will use its legal muscle at the
front end of the process before a student’s
unexcused absences become too great

Closing the generation gap
“Our motto is to change the world
through the children and community.
By coming to the school, we are able to
cross those generational lines and spend
some time with the youth.”
Alexandria Kiwanis Golden K Club President
Gary Zavadil, on the club’s monthly tradition
of greeting kids with handshakes as they
arrive to start their school day

Survey says:
Minnesota schools are good
“There have been a lot of knocks on
public education for spending, but
opinions about quality have not gone
down. Education has always been a
core value of residents of this state.
The dedication to public education is
very strong.”
Bill Morris, whose Decision Resources
conducted a poll that showed 66 percent of
Minnesotans today describe their schools as
good, compared to 45 percent in 1974

STtraight
T
alk
’
his year s national poll shows
American sentiment going against
federal intrusions in education

I

If there is one message coming out from
the latest PDK/Gallup Poll on education,
it’s that people are NOT happy with
federal intrusions and mandates for their
children. Never before has local control
received such a big response.

Kirk Schneidawind
MSBA Executive Director

The 2014
survey results
show only
27 percent
support for
President
Obama’s
education
initiatives –
down from
41 percent
in 2011.

The 2014 survey results show only
27 percent support for President Obama’s
education initiatives – down from
41 percent in 2011. The main reason?
People don’t think the federal
government should be telling teachers
what to teach. The respondents were
afraid that a teacher’s flexibility would be
taken away.
Standardized tests didn’t fare much better.
A majority of people (54 percent) don’t
think standardized tests are helpful for
teachers or their children. More than
half of Americans (56 percent) believe
that local school boards should have the
greatest influence in what is taught in
public schools, not a federal or national
standards board.

So with the Legislative session coming up,
how does this apply to board members
and what they do? MSBA has always
pushed for local control and flexibility –
on when to start school, what standards
should be taught and how to use multiple
ways to judge a student’s achievement.
We will again be pushing for the flexibility
of school boards (not the State Fair
and not resorts) to set starting dates for
schools. And we will again be taking
policy and funding resolutions that our
local districts send to us and puting them
before our Delegate Assembly. The ones
that pass become part of our legislative
advocacy platform.
MSBA practices what it preaches when it
comes to advocacy. We don’t decide what
our legislative platform will be. The school
board member delegates coming to our
Delegate Assembly December 6
will be telling us what we should be
advocating for. That’s as close to
grassroots, local control as you can get.

As for national Common Core standards,
again people want state-developed
standards. As more people hear about the
Common Core, the more they dislike it
(60 percent). In Minnesota, the state has
adopted Common Core reading standards
into the MCA test. The math standards
have not been used because the state
just recently adopted new, tougher math
standards. What the research is saying
is that the public believes that decisions
related to schools are best made by those
closest to the action – our elected school
board members.
And one last finding from the poll is that
more Americans think students should
have shorter summer breaks and a little
longer breaks at other times of the year.

Ashley Halvorson

November/December 2014 5

President’s Column

Some good words and accomplishments
from the boards I’ve worked with

A

As I move on from president of the
Minnesota School Boards Association
to become its past president, I want
to pass along some observations and
accomplishments our Association and
board were able to do because of the
outstanding people serving with me.

Walter Hautala
MSBA President

Keep your
communities
informed:
Everything you
do needs to come
full-circle. In this
age of social media
and email, it is
very cost-effective
and even more
important to keep
your parents and
citizens of your
district informed
about what you
are doing and why.

6 MSBA Journal

For the Association, our board’s biggest
accomplishment was hiring a new
executive director. We were lucky to have
good candidates and luckier that Kirk
Schneidawind accepted our offer. I have
no doubt that with his vision for a 21stCentury Association, our school boards
will be well-served. Already, MSBA has
made many technology improvements – a
new website, a mobile application for the
Summer Seminar conference, and short
informational videos that launch this fall
both to promote board members and to
answer member questions.
Overall, I think the MSBA board has also
improved communications to their local
members. Many of us give updates on
what the Association is doing; MSBA is also
helping to provide updates on Minnesota
State High School League issues; and we
have made bigger efforts to target regional
boards to become part of our advocacy
system of Fall Regional Meetings all the way
to the Delegate Assembly.
Those delegates and MSBA’s advocacy
staff have also been very instrumental in
finally pushing funding through for allday kindergarten, for working with the
Legislature to finally increase money on
the general funding formula; and for being
the biggest proponent behind increasing
funding to students through the State Trust
Lands legislation.
Public schools today are funded much
better than they were just four years ago.
And districts have wisely targeted those
increases to the classroom with the goal of
increasing student achievement.
As for board service overall, I am lucky
to work with very high-achieving boards
at both Mesabi East and the Association.
Reaching that level of achievement with a
board doesn’t come easily. That’s why I also
leave you with a few recommendations:

1. Listen to your constituents and staff: You
have good ideas. But so do the people you
represent, and so do members of the staff
who are charged with doing the lion’s share
of the work. Listening means not making
up your mind on an issue until you’ve
heard from everyone. Listening means
keeping an open mind to opinions that may
be 180 degrees different from your own.
And listening also means having dialog
– not debate – with the people in your
school district. Personal conversations can
accomplish much more than entering every
issue like it is a debate you want to win.
2. Continue to receive training: School
district laws, policies and procedures can
be overwhelming. But that’s why you have
an Association like MSBA – founded to
give school board members training at a
very low cost. You can receive everything
from the mandatory training in Phase 2,
to training on community engagement,
working together as a board, the roles of
superintendent and a board, negotiations
– the topics and training are endless.
Especially when you sign up for the
Leadership Conference, which has nearly
100 different workshops tailored for any
issue board members may face.
3. Keep your communities informed:
Everything you do needs to come full-circle.
In this age of social media and e-mail, it is
very cost-effective and even more important
to keep your parents and citizens of your
district informed about what you are doing
and why. Keep your discussions at the board
table so people know why you voted the
way you did. And make sure when decisions
are made, those are communicated to
the public – along with the reasons why.
Transparency is very important.
4. Let your legislators know your needs:
Unfortunately, board members can no
longer simply concentrate on individual
district issues. Much of the funding for
school programs and personnel comes from
the state. So you need to work with your
legislators to let them know your stories
of how legislation is affecting your district.
You need to advocate. You need to have
discussions with those state representatives.
I’m thankful I had the opportunity to serve
two years as MSBA President and look
forward to serving one year as past president
with our incoming president, Kevin
Donovan, who will be a great leader for the
Association. I’m proud to be a public school
graduate, teacher, administrator, board
member and president of MSBA. Who
could ask for more!

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The grown-up Kevin Honeycutt is a
leader who spends his time espousing
the importance of leadership – but
young Kevin Honeycutt spent most of
his early life as a follower.

Raised as a child exposed to poverty and alcoholism,
Honeycutt followed his rapidly relocating family through
20 states. Through his nomadic and traumatic childhood,
young Kevin developed emotional issues and struggled in
school. “I wasn’t stupid but they didn’t test the things I was
good at,” Honeycutt said.
As Honeycutt witnessed education around the country, he
collected powerful experiences that influenced his future.
He would go on to teach K–12 art in public schools for
13 years, and he spent 17 years leading creative adventure
summer camps for kids of all ages.
Presently, Honeycutt is a technology integrationist and
a staff developer out of central Kansas. His website,
www.kevinhoneycutt.org, provides a plethora of resources
about leadership, technology and much more – including
a self-directed staff development series to help schools
understand and stop bullying.
“Now part of my passion is to help schools understand that
there are other things to see in children other than test
scores...and to cultivate inventiveness and creativity,” he
said. “I’ve spent my life trying to make sense of the tragedy
that was my childhood and to use that as an impetus to
make positive change.”
Honeycutt is also a school board member, currently
serving his third term on the Inman Public Schools Board
of Education in Kansas.
On Thursday, January 15, Honeycutt will speak about
the importance of leadership and technology via his
“Challenges and Opportunities for Today’s Learning Mind”
presentation at the 2015 MSBA Leadership Conference.
In an interview with MSBA, Honeycutt touched on some of
the topics he will cover with his school board colleagues in
Minnesota.
MSBA: What will be your main message to Minnesota’s
school board members?
HONEYCUTT: Mostly that leadership matters. No matter
how much you want change to happen, if leadership
doesn’t get it, it’s not going to happen. We have to lead by
example and do the things we talk about.
The focus (of my presentation) is going to be on the crucial
nature of leadership and continued learning. It’s healthy
to learn. No matter what age a person is, it’s important to
continue to learn, especially if it’s our job to lead.
When the pioneers went west, they couldn’t take advice
from the colonists because they didn’t understand the
reality of the prairie or frontier. Had they taken advice from
the colonists, they would have died. They had to learn in

real time beside their children on the journey. I think once
again we are on a journey and leadership has to be part of
that wagon train.
MSBA: What are some examples of how school board
members can improve their leadership and vision?
HONEYCUTT: Social media is a big one. Leveraging the
power of social media to tell the good news about your
school district. To not be a secret genius in a time when
anyone can talk. Living out loud, sharing the good news
about what we do, telling our story better. I think that we
have better stories than the politicians who sum us up. I
think we need to tell our stories better and bigger. That’s
one thing.
The other is leveraging technology to give our kids an
advantage. You don’t have to know how to do everything
to be an advocate of those tools.
MSBA: What are some of the technological tools that you
recommend?
HONEYCUTT: I will talk about 1-to-1 tablets and laptops.
There are creative ways to get those in the hands of kids.
And looking at policies that we’ve had in the past that
have become prisons in the future. Looking at ways to
have better common sense in how we let kids and teachers
use technology...to get rid of our fear and replace it with
steadfast determination.
When times are hard, people have two choices: they can
shrink and stay safe and wait to die – or they can get big.
I think bold people get big in hard times and it serves them
well when things get better. They say “never waste a good
crisis,” because you can make great change in a time of
crisis. That’s where leadership comes in. That’s where
vision comes in. This is a better option than being so
conservative and being so afraid that we ultimately end up
blind because we played it safe.
MSBA: As a current school board member, is there any
specific insight you can give your Minnesota colleagues?
HONEYCUTT: I will give you an example. We went 1-to-1
iPads a few years ago. When we did that, the school board
also started using iPads because we have to do the things we
talk about. We have to live by example. We had to buy our
own iPads because politically we couldn’t bill them to the
district – but it was important for everyone to understand
(how to use them). If we are going to lead, we have to do
the things we say.
In Kansas, our per-pupil funding is just over $4,000 per kid.
It’s one of the lowest in the nation, but we’ve managed to
give our students 1-to-1 iPads in spite of that small budget.
November/December 2014 9

21st Century Leadership:
Leaders must embrace,
take lead on technology

We’ve been inventive because we’ve known that it
is crucial to get kids ready for their future. And to
do that, we can’t just teach them our past. We want
kids to have an advantage in the world. Even though
we are a small town (of less than 1,400 people), we
think bigger thoughts. We think it is possible to do
that...to be innovative in a time of uncertainty. I think
the safest place to be is bold. We still have a smalltown feel...but we also have a mind on the future.
We’re “tradigital” leaders.

things and trying them out. I think every district
probably needs to be playing with at least one of any
new device that shows promise and studying it – and
seeing if they can get ahead of the curve for once.
I like to see us thinking about technology before we
see our kids walk in the door with it.
MSBA: Any advice for school board members on how
to curb bullying?

HONEYCUTT: They should talk to parents and talk
to teachers and get everyone in their community
MSBA: As someone who has been on both sides of
to live on the same digital playground the kids are
the teacher-board member relationship, is there
raising themselves on. Kids are raising themselves
anything you can speak about to
on digital playgrounds and no
enhance teacher-board member
one is on recess duty. I think as
relations?
a community we can move into
Challenges
HONEYCUTT: It’s important to
those spaces. Good kids will do
have an honest, real and cordial
stupid things if no one is watching.
and Opportunities It’s
relationship between boards
not about preaching to the
and teachers. I go to a lot of
kids, it’s about teaching them the
for Today’s
schools for my job, and I see
things they say online are going
adversarial relationships and it’s
to represent them the rest of their
Learning Mind
counterproductive because we
lives.
are all working toward the same
Bullies never care about the victim.
goal. I think in our town, we do a
Kevin will delve into
They always care about themselves.
really good job of laying our cards
If
you remind them that all of this
the multi-tasking,
on the table…just being honest
is findable and that everything
with each other in trying to do
they do is traceable, they squirm a
quick-researching,
what’s best for kids. And reminding
little bit. They start to realize this
ourselves that we have to work
oportunity seeking
is on the record and you don’t
together for the best outcome
get to sit in the grassy knoll and
for our children. I think it has to
mind and seek to help
take a free shot at people. This is a
be a goal to say teachers aren’t
community conversation. This is a
participants identify
employees, they are partners.
daily conversation.
MSBA: After your presentation is
ways they can empower
MSBA: Any final thoughts?
finished, what do you want board
students to become
HONEYCUTT: Talking to school
members to come away with?
leaders is sacred work to me.
HONEYCUTT: I want them to
skilled in using the tools
Because when leaders understand,
get connected in social media
systems change and good things
of today to become
for one...to get on Twitter® and
happen next. We can’t do anything
to leverage social media in their
without leaders and I admire them
better learners.
role as leaders. I use social media
because if they are like me, we do
as a funnel of opportunity for our
this for nothing. It’s a calling, it’s
district. I am connected to 30,000a service thing. I admire that. I
plus educators on Twitter and I
admire people who put their hat in the ring for that
find things. I find grants. I find opportunities or they
sort of thing. I can’t wait to talk to them.
find me because I’m connected. Getting beyond
Bruce Lombard is MSBA’s Associate Director of Communications.
the idea that Twitter is a social thing that we do for
He can be reached at blombard@mnmsba.org.
fun, and realizing that we can leverage it to give our
schools an advantage. That’s one.
Visit www.kevinhoneycutt.org for more information about
Kevin Honeycutt.
The other is opening our minds up to new
technology, to keep our eyes out for what’s next
that will give our kids an advantage. Grabbing new

10 MSBA Journal

Anything is
Possible
JJ us
us tt AA sk
sk You
You rr Kids.
Kids. ....

I want to dig for
dinosaurs.
Melanie, 4th grade

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Designing for
the Possibilities
November/December 2014 11

Teach
Each
Other

Paige Busby

2013 National Teacher of the Year
will be the closing keynote speaker at the
2015 MSBA Leadership Conference
12 MSBA Journal

T

There are a lot of questions in the field of education these days – most of
which are devoted to solving problems ranging from the achievement gap
to teacher evaluations and everything in between. At each conference I
attend, I have heard countless answers – each promising that it will solve
the problem and lead us all to some kind of educational utopia.

Jeff Charbonneau

However, most of the solutions
start by pointing out what is
wrong.
And that’s why we haven’t solved
any of our issues yet.
We are pointing to what is
wrong and not pointing to what
is right.
If I did the same thing in my
classroom, how long do you
think I would last as a teacher?

I teach physics, for college
credit, at the high school level.
Straight up it is hard stuff. If I greeted my students each
day by scolding them for what they have done wrong, from
their homework to their handwriting, there is no way I
would be able to fill the seats in my room.
Instead, I value the work they have done, commend what is
correct, and further solidify the learning that did occur. At
that point, as a partners in the process, we look for ways to
improve.

It works.
By teachers valuing the student-teacher relationship above
all else, even as more important than content, students
succeed at levels higher than even they expect they can
reach.
As an education profession, we are spending far too much
time focused on the wrong things. The reality is that there
are two worlds in education. One is filled with credentials,
certifications, curriculum, strategies, forms, procedures,
and far, far too many acronyms to mention.
Then there is the world of education that matters: the
relationships we make with students.
Many people have asked me what the largest challenge is
in my career. Without a doubt the most difficult part of
the job is creating and maintaining positive relationships
with students. After that, everything else – and I do mean
everything – becomes much easier.

In fact, if we look closely at the relationship-based dynamic
of the classroom, we will find the answers we seek to
virtually every educational issue we face.

Let’s explore the qualities
of a great classroom.
1) Great classrooms are hands-on. Students learn by
doing. In science, language arts, history, or any subject,
students learn deeper by doing real work themselves.
2) Great classrooms are filled with confidence. The
teacher has confidence in his or her instruction and
content, and the students have a growing confidence in
themselves and their abilities.
3) Great classrooms are adaptable. From assemblies to class
pictures to snow days, great classrooms adapt to the
situation and don’t miss a beat.
4) Great classrooms are student-led. For all the effort the
teacher puts in, great classrooms are only created when
the students take ownership and lead the class.
5) Great classrooms are positive. Fundamentally, the entire
classroom environment can be explained in one word:
positive.

Now let’s think about a
great education system.
1) Great education systems value experience. Experienced
veteran teachers are valued for their honed skills and
ability to use the events of their careers to put trends
and ideas into perspective. At the same time, beginning
teachers are valued for their experience with social
media, technology, innovation, and world of work
experience.
2) Great education systems support all participants.
Teachers need support from their administration, just as
administration needs support from the teachers. It’s twoway and ongoing.
3) Great education systems are flexible. When a teacher
comes up with a great idea that is against the rules, the
November/December 2014 13

rules get changed. Bureaucracy does not stand in
the way of improving student learning.

Teach Each Other

4) Great education systems are teacher-driven.
Teachers know that they can effect change in a
school by doing it on a regular basis.
5) Great education systems are not afraid to showcase
success. Great systems value communication
with the community and ensure that they are
showcasing the work of the students.

Great education systems
mirror great classrooms.
Look at the lists again. They are virtually the same.
Interchange the words teacher, students, and
administration and either list works just as well to
explain the other for exactly the same reason.
That’s because we already know how to educate kids.
Great classrooms do it every day. Let’s stop looking
for new solutions, and instead scale up the solutions
that we already know work.
Administrators should look like great teachers, with
teachers being treated like their students!*
1) They let their staff get hands-on with the
curriculum and professional development.
2) They are confident in their knowledge, but also
foster a growing confidence in their teachers.
3) They adapt and change building policies to allow
teachers the flexibility to teach with new tools and
in new ways.
4) Like teachers, they understand that the leader is
not the one with the most control; instead they
empower those around them.
5) Finally, success in the classroom, the school, and
the community is celebrated and shared.

14 MSBA Journal

But it goes further than that. Teachers and
administrators – I want you to treat all of the adults in
the room the same way you treat your students. Teach
them!
When a student is struggling in the classroom,
teachers spend extra time to understand where the
student is, what issues he or she is facing, and then
mold their instruction to that student. What if we
were to do exactly that with the policymakers, too?
Rather than head off to the capitol to “tell” elected
officials what you think, try teaching them as though
they are your students. How often does simply
“telling” students to do their work, actually work?
Telling does not work. Teaching does.
At the same time, remember that we, too, have
much to learn. As a teacher, I need to also be the
willing student. I need to learn from other teachers,
administration, parents and the community. After
all, the best teaching can only occur after a teacher
learns about the others in the room.
Imagine an entire education system built to look like
a great classroom – where the underlying theme to
everything is positive relationships with students, staff,
administration, parents, and the community. If we
could do that, put the real world of education first,
then our problems would become much easier to
handle.
*If that caught you off guard (teachers being treated
like students), then I have to ask, “How are you
treating your students?”
Jeff Charbonneau is a science teacher at Zillah High School
(Washington) and was named the 2013 National Teacher
of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
Jeff is the keynote speaker for Friday’s Closing Session of the
2015 MSBA Leadership Conference. Follow Jeff on Twitter
at @JeffCharbonneau.

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www.is-grp.com

Gift Law

Shanae Sakrismo

Now Applicable to School District Officials

A

As part of the Health Insurance Transparency Act (HITA) sponsored and supported by Education
Minnesota, the 2014 Legislature made the local government “gift law” applicable to school
district officials for the first time. The law amends the definition of “local official” to include the
following: “an elected or appointed member of a school board, a school superintendent, a school
principal, or a district school officer of any independent school district.”

MSBA Staff

16 MSBA Journal

In short, the gift law, which has been in existence since 1994, provides that an “interested
person” may not give a gift or request another to give a gift to a local official, and that a local
official may not accept a gift from an interested person.

In our effort to share common direction on this issue,
MSBA staff have worked with other statewide organizations
– the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the
Minnesota Association of School Business Officials, the
Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association, the
Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals,
and the League of Minnesota Cities – to develop a plan to
educate our respective members about this new law.

• services of insignificant monetary value;

Who is an “interested person”?

• food or a beverage may be given at a reception, meal, or
meeting away from the recipient’s place of work by an
organization before whom the recipient appears to make
a speech or answer questions as part of a program; note
that this exception is the only one that allows for giving of
food or beverage and, likely, the $5 “trinket or memento”
exception doesn’t apply to food and beverages;

An “interested person” is a “person or a representative of a
person or association that has a direct financial interest in
a decision that a local official is authorized to make.” The
law does not require that a specific decision involving the
interested person exist at the time of the gift. Accordingly,
the law likely applies to anyone who might at some time
financially benefit from a decision the school official may
make. As a result, the law affects the actions of almost
any vendor (attorneys, financial advisors, accountants,
contractors, sale representatives, etc.) who is likely to have a
contract or financial arrangement with a school district.

What is a “gift”?

A “gift” is defined to include “money, real or personal
property, a service, a loan, a forbearance or forgiveness of
indebtedness, or a promise of future employment, that is
given and received without the giver receiving consideration
of equal or greater value in return.” In short, a gift is almost
anything of value that might be given to a local official.

Who is a “local official”?

Again, in addition to city and county officials, the law now
specifically applies to the defined set of school officials
mentioned above. Also important to note is that the law
not only applies to the elected decision makers, but it also
applies to staff who either make decisions themselves or
are in a position to recommend decisions. Accordingly,
the most conservative and, thereby, the safest approach in
addressing this law would be to apply it to all employees, so
school boards should consider adopting MSBA/MASA Model
Policy 421 – Gifts to Employees.

• a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual
services in a field of specialty or to a charitable cause;
• a trinket or memento costing $5 or less; under this
exception, items valued at less than $5 may be given away
and received at vendor booths at conferences;
• informational material of unexceptional value;

• g ifts given because of the recipient’s membership in a
group, a majority of whose members are not local officials,
if an equivalent gift is given to the other members of the
group;
• a gift by an interested person who is a member of the
family of the recipient, unless the gift is given on behalf of
someone who is not a member of that family; and
• gifts given by a national or multi-state organization
of governmental organizations or public officials (if a
majority of the dues to the organization is paid from
public funds) to attendees at a conference sponsored by
that organization if the gift is food or a beverage given
at a reception or meal and an equivalent gift is given or
offered to all other attendees.
Also important to note is that the law prohibits gifts to school
officials, not to school districts. Accordingly, no gift law
problem exists if the gift is given to the school district itself.
In addition to this communication piece, MSBA is currently
reviewing the “gift law” as it pertains to MSBA’s events
and trainings. As a final note, MSBA strongly encourages
school board members to apply the most conservative
interpretation of the “gift law” and simply decline
personal “gifts” from “interested persons.”

Do exceptions to the law exist?

Yes, the law has a lengthy list of exceptions, described
below:
• political contributions – given in accordance with law;
• s ervices to assist a local official in the performance of
official duties, including, but not limited to, providing
advice, consultation, information, and communication in
connection with legislation, and services to constituents;
this exception likely permits contributions to, or
sponsorship of, education conferences attended by
school officials;

November/December 2014 17

The key to better
teaching is a
principal who

boosts
morale!
DNisha Shelton

“The best morale exists when you
never hear the word mentioned.
When you hear a lot of talk about it,
it’s usually lousy.”

S

– Dwight D. Eisenhower

Several years ago, one of the districts that I serviced failed to pass their referendum. Sixty-five teachers
were cut, school of choice was eliminated, two elementary schools were closed and activity fees
skyrocketed. Needless to say, there was a lot of talk about morale. This scenario was happening all around
the state of Minnesota and I wondered: How do leaders motivate and encourage staff to invest during
such challenging times?

Heidi Hahn

Research leaves no doubt that the single greatest factor influencing student achievement and student
outcomes is the teacher. A study conducted by Zigarelli (1996) concluded that the single, general
measure of teacher satisfaction is a highly significant predictor of effective schools. Hattie’s (2003)
meta-analysis of studies on teacher efficacy found that teachers’ responses about their job satisfaction
made up 30 percent of the variance in determining what influenced learning the most (Hemric,
Eury & Shellman, 2008).
“Many studies indicate that social factors such as group interaction, supportive relationships, skills,
high performance goals, and above all, morale (job satisfaction) are the most important determinants
of productivity and success in human enterprises” (Bhella, 2001, p. 369). Multiple studies have found

18 MSBA Journal

that teachers of scholastically high-achieving students have
higher levels of job satisfaction (Anderson, 1953; Bhella,
2001: Koura, 1963). In addition, a critical review of 25
years of morale/job satisfaction research conducted by
Blocker and Richardson (2002) concluded that the keys to
teacher morale and job satisfaction are the principal and
the leadership that building principal provides. With these
facts in mind, it would seem imperative that principals
understand how to increase the level of job satisfaction and
overall staff morale because these have a direct impact on
student achievement and school effectiveness (Bhella, 2001;
Blocker & Richardson, 2002; Whitaker, Whitaker & Lumpa,
2009; Zigarelli, 1996).

Leadership practices to improve
teacher job satisfaction
The purpose of my dissertation study was to identify which
leadership practices principals use to improve teacher
job satisfaction, and to identify which of these leadership
practices teachers believed had the most impact on their
levels of job satisfaction.
Using the theoretical framework of Whitaker et al.,
2009, and Blasé and Kirby 2009, survey instruments were
created for both principals and teachers. The surveys
focused on seven core leadership areas which included
staff acknowledgment/recognition, shared leadership,
professional autonomy, creating staff expectations, leading
by standing behind, communication and professional role.
More than 600 Minnesota teachers and administrators
representing 21 school districts participated in the study.
The research study revealed a multitude of highly effective
leadership practices that increase teacher job satisfaction.
The leadership practice that influences a teacher’s level
of job satisfaction the most is the acknowledgement
and recognition he or she receives from the building
administrator. Teachers reported higher levels of
job satisfaction when a principal was genuine in
acknowledgement and recognition of good work, and when
the principal knew more about the teacher than just what
the teacher was teaching.
The second most influential leadership practice is
professional autonomy; but guess what? Principals and
teachers have very different perspectives on this! Teachers
expressed higher levels of job satisfaction when they were
supported by their principals and had the freedom to utilize
strategies that they felt were effective. In the study, not a
single principal picked this leadership strategy as a top
practice to influence teacher job satisfaction, whereas
45 percent of the teachers did.
Additional leadership practices that were linked to teachers
reporting higher levels of job satisfaction included:
• Principals seeking teacher input/involvement at the early
planning stages of a project

• Principals trusting teachers to make informed
instructional decisions
• Encouraging and allocating time for professional learning
communities
• Principals taking time to listen to teachers’ concerns
and work to problem-solve with teachers regarding these
concerns
• Developing and implementing a school-wide behavior/
discipline plan
• Principals consistently modeling the behaviors and actions
that are expected from teachers
• Principals clearly, consistently, directly and tactfully
communicating what is expected from teaching staff
• Principals encouraging teachers and teaching staff to have
informal drop-in meetings
The study revealed myriad effective leadership practices,
and the principals that participated in the study reported
that the data they received was something they could
immediately use with their staffs. Principals reported that
they finally had something “tangible” in regards to teacher
morale and job satisfaction and that the data led them to
having meaningful conversations with staff. Principals and
staff celebrated the positives, and began creating plans to
improve areas where they could grow. Several principals
have reported back that the culture has changed in their
buildings. One principal stated “the energy is ‘palpable’ and
we are more connected for our students.”

Some additional findings
Additional analysis from the study revealed:
• Male teachers reported higher levels of job satisfaction
than female teachers.
• Teachers aged 56-plus reported the highest levels of job
satisfaction.
• Metro teachers reported higher levels of job satisfaction
than the suburban and rural teachers.
• Teachers were more satisfied than their principals
perceived them to be.
I am so passionate about how teachers impact students and
their learning. Beyond this study, I continue to work with
principals and teachers from around the state, and together
help them explore leadership practices that have the greatest
impact on teacher job satisfaction. Some principals have
connected this to their principal evaluations as an effective
measure for their engagement with and responsiveness
to their teaching staff. It is a gift to learn from passionate
leaders and the dedicated teachers that they serve.
Dr. Heidi M. Hahn is the director of special education for the Paul
Bunyan Education Cooperative in Brainerd. Her research earned
her the Robert Green Scholar award. To reach her, you can e-mail
Heidi.hahn@isd181.org.
November/December 2014 19

New pension reporting rules
may sound false alarms
about districts being

in the red

N

New accounting changes for reporting public pension costs from the Governmental
Accounting Standards Board (GASB) take effect this year, and there is concern
brewing that the new accounting rules will cause confusion and raise false alarm
regarding the financial well-being of public pension plans, including Minnesota’s.

Susan Barbieri

The new GASB numbers can be misleading and create a distorted picture of the
systems’ long-term financial soundness. Beginning in 2014, GASB changes will
require school districts and local governments such as cities and counties to show
their share of Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) and Teachers
Retirement Association (TRA) pension costs prominently on their balance sheets.
Previously, the costs and financial status of Minnesota’s pension plans were reported
only in the systems’ annual reports and regular reports to Legislature. Here’s a look
at the new rules:

What’s new in the GASB rules?
Previously, unfunded liabilities were annually disclosed by the retirement systems on
their financial statements and to legislative oversight bodies such as the Legislative
Commission on Pensions and Retirement. Now state and local governments and
school districts will each have to report their proportionate share of these unfunded
pension liabilities as a liability on financial balance sheets. Under the old accounting
rules, those government units only disclosed the annual contribution to the pension
systems needed to fund the retirement systems and pay off the unfunded liability.
The underlying economics and health of the plans are not affected, but the new
standards will require school districts and local governments to report liabilities
that had previously not been reported in financial statements. These liabilities have
always existed and are not new. Furthermore, the new rules do not change what
school districts and local governments owe in annual contributions to the retirement
systems. The new disclosures should have no impact on budgeting practices.

Why is GASB requiring employers to show this information?
Transparency and disclosure are good, but it’s important to provide context for
the numbers. The presence on local government or school district balance sheets
of a large number representing unfunded pension costs could give the incorrect
impression that employers/taxpayers have an immense debt that must be paid
immediately. This is not the case. Pension costs are amortized or paid off over
long periods. The retirement systems plan for this, and work to make sure annual
contributions are sufficient to pay off any pension debt on a schedule. This works
much like a homeowner’s mortgage. Even though a homeowner might have a
$100,000 unpaid mortgage, there is no expectation that this be paid off in one year.

20 MSBA Journal

Brittany Sullivan

The owner makes manageable monthly payments and
pays down the mortgage debt over a scheduled time
period. This is what governments and school districts do
when they make regular contributions to the retirement
system.

How will local governments and school districts
get the pension liability information?
TRA and PERA will annually calculate and report to
each employer unit that unit’s proportionate share of
unfunded pension liabilities. These unfunded pension
liabilities will be reported to the government unit or
school district so that they can be shown as liabilities on
balance sheets. Employers currently have no comparable
reporting requirements in statements, footnotes or
schedules. Instead, they report only their annual pension
contributions.

Won’t people be alarmed if pension costs loom
large on employer balance sheets?
They shouldn’t be. The GASB numbers will be somewhat
confusing. The liability amount reported on the
employer balance sheet will represent the employer’s
proportionate share of liabilities and will be paid down
by employers’ annual contributions to the pension funds
over many years. A June 2012 report from the Center for
Retirement Research stated: “It would be unfortunate
if the press and politicians characterized these new
numbers as evidence of a worsening of the (pension)
crisis when, in fact, states and localities have already
taken numerous steps to put their plans on a more
secure footing. …Policymakers should not let the new
numbers throw them off course.”
Susan Barbieri is the communications officer for the Teachers
Retirement Association. You can reach her at sbarbieri@
minnesotatra.org.
November/December 2014 21

Safe Schools:

Steve Swensen

22 MSBA Journal

D

December 14 will mark two years since the 2012 Sandy Hook
(Newtown, Conn.) School Shooting. This tragedy affected
the lives of countless persons, both in the local community
and throughout the country. No one wants to ever
experience such a traumatic incident as the one suffered
by Sandy Hook students and staff and their parents, family,
friends, and acquaintances. This life-changing event and the
painful emotions it generates continue to be endured to
this day. Sadly, Sandy Hook does not stand alone as a tragic
symbol of school-targeted violence.

On September 24, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) released a study on 160 active shooter incidents
occurring in the United States between 2000 and 2013.
A total of 39 incidents took place in educational
environments, with 27 of those occurring in schools
(defined as Pre-K thru 12th grade) and 12 at Institutions of
Higher Learning (IHE). The 27 school incidents resulted
in 57 people murdered and 60 wounded. In two of those
incidents, school board members were shot during board
meetings. Under the remaining 25 incidents, 14 occurred
in a high school, six in middle or junior high school, four
in an elementary school, and one in a school conducting
Pre-K thru 12 classes.
Further breakdown shows that 23 incidents took place while
school was in session. Yes, it is true that, when compared
to other situational risks of violence, schools are relatively
safe and secure environments for both students and staff.
However, as multiple numbers of school shootings and
other acts of targeted and indiscriminate violence across
the country clearly show, the need for enhanced security at
our schools is undeniable. When a single incident of school
violence can cause unimaginable horror and devastation to
one’s community, this becomes even all the more evident.
The question then becomes what measures designed
to enhance school safety/security are reasonable and
appropriate?
What makes schools truly unique is their entrusted status
of being both educator and caregiver. Every day parents
send their kids off to school and every day parents trust
their kids will return home safely. Often, if not always, it is
the action(s) taken by school staff and administrators prior
to and during incidents that ensure this. Consequently, it
is incumbent upon schools to make the proverbial right
decisions wherever school safety/security is concerned.
In order to do so, schools must be fully informed on
not only the basic processes of security, risk, threat, and
emergency management; but the advanced processes as
well. Each of these four management components is critical
and must supplement the others if the goal is to enact
model school safety/security programs. Programs must also
take into account the inherent differences between early
childhood programs, kindergarten, elementary, middle/
junior, high school, and next step transition programs, and
their respective site environments and facilities. It should
be understood that just because certain measures are being
implemented at one location and for one group of students,
it doesn’t necessarily mean those measures should be the
same for other locations and students.

The factors of consideration for this include the age/grade
of students, assessed special needs, site environment, facility
composition, and building space design and layout. An
example is the amount of direct assistance students in early
childhood, kindergarten, and grade schools or with special
needs require during building evacuations versus that
required for middle and high school students.
Currently schools have focused more on security measures
designed to be used in response to an incident occurring.
While this “reactive” approach is not wrong, it is also not
entirely correct. There should be no mistaking that these
types of security measures (e.g., emergency and incident
response plans, evacuation and lockdown drills, duress/
panic alarms, intrusion detection, partnering with first
responders, etc.) are essential to developing optimal
school security programs. However, they must be both
comprehensive and implemented in combination with
“proactive” Contemporary Protective Threat Management
Initiatives (PTMI).

Protective Threat Management Initiatives
Model PTMI programs for safe schools are based on
U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Marshals Service protective
intelligence and investigation programs. They are
specifically designed to deter and prevent acts of violence;
including identifying and de-escalating threatening
behaviors and actions. Key PTMI program measures and
components consist of:
• Early Warning Signs (EWS) and Inappropriate
Communications and Behaviors (ICBs) – which are
potential pre-indicators of violent actions.
• threat and case management strategies.
• School Threat Assessment Response Teams (START).
• student connectivity, anti-harassment, and anti-bullying
programs.
• school/student assisted and encouraged protocols for
reporting concerns and threats – in a majority of incidents
a peer(s) has had some indication or known about it
ahead of time.
• valued internal (e.g., school counselors, psychologists,
case managers, etc.) and external (e.g., law enforcement,
consultants, therapists, etc.) resources.
• discipline policies and procedures that have evolved
beyond being solely punitive or zero tolerance programs –
e.g., a suspension may be warranted, but when the student
returns to school, what measures have been set in place to
prevent reoccurrence?
November/December 2014 23

Board Members Need to Know

Safe Schools: What School

It is understood that resources are limited and
thus must be maximized in order to minimize the
assessed threat risk. In certain cases, school districts
have even sought out referendums to fund security
enhancements; and communities have indicated
their support by subsequently approving these
referendums. Whether funding is allocated through
referendum or budgetary means, community
expectations are that schools will enact measures that
not only mitigate incident impact, but will also deter
and prevent violent incidents.

in areas not as secure. What this means is that, when
assessing measures for school safety/security, due
consideration must also be given to extracurricular
activities, transportation, parking, recess, classes being
conducted outside, field trips, etc. Diversionary tactics
(e.g., bomb threats, fire alarms, etc.) may also be
used by threat sources to bring potential victims to
lesser secured areas. Just as severe weather conditions
are taken into account in designating areas of refuge
for school evacuations, so must the risk of targeted
violence.

Equipment and building design for safety

The risk of violence and other incidents cannot
generally be eliminated. It can, however, be
effectively minimized, mitigated, and managed
(i.e., the 3-m concept). A good example of this for
schools is the risk of fire, where fire prevention
awareness programs, building codes, alarms, smoke
detectors, heat sensors, suppression systems, and
emergency drills have basically eliminated the
chance of catastrophic fire. The same concept can be
reasonably utilized for other assessed risks to provide
an appropriate safe school environment. It readily
follows that facility emergency/incident response
plans perform an integral role within this overall
process.

A high percentage of school shootings and other acts
of violence are committed by internal threat sources
(i.e., student on student, student on staff, or staff
on student), which means even the most advanced
controlled access systems, renovated entryways, and
closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems – which are
primary investigative and evidentiary in scope, albeit
with certain tactical response advantages – will not
deter or prevent all such incidents. That does not
mean we discount these measures. It means we take
into account what they are optimally designed for in
order to maximize their assessed value. For example:
in addition to the investigative/evidentiary and
tactical benefits, the proper type and placement of
CCTV systems will also deter non-violent crimes such
as vandalism and theft; and certain violent crimes
where the fear of detection and identification exists
– which is why school CCTV systems should be overt
and not concealed.
The previously stated inherent differences between
schools will also impact the decision making. An
example is new construction and renovation projects
for school entryways. In addition to realizing certain
quality control benefits, entryway enhancements for
Pre-K and Elementary schools will, when properly
designed and utilized (including policies/procedures
and systems integration), deter and prevent crimes
against children from internal and external threats.
The same statistical analysis supporting this also
shows that renovating entryways for middle/junior
and high schools provides limited benefit. As these
measures are also likely to have higher associated
costs, this is important for school board members and
administrators to recognize when prioritizing securitybased expenditures and initiatives.
Whenever physical security measures are being
considered, the resulting influence of “incident
displacement” must be taken into account. The
cause and effect of incident displacement is realized
when one area or another is secured and incidents
subsequently begin occurring (i.e., being “displaced”)

24 MSBA Journal

The crisis plan
Minnesota Statute 121A.035 specifies that school
boards must adopt a written crisis management
plan for each school in their district (an all-hazards
approach being the established best practice). There
is legitimate concern, however, that some schools
may decide nothing more is required other than
having district policies and general procedures. This
not only has the real potential to impede emergency
response efforts – resulting in greater injury and loss
of life – but also carries with it significant concerns
of vicarious liability. This is further compounded
when individual schools are left entirely to their
own devices – quite likely resulting in certain
schools having outstanding plans and others having
inadequate ones. The latter vs. the former becomes
all the more problematic when addressing crisis
management and ensuing liability.
To establish consistency and continuity throughout
the district, “boiler-plate” plans should be developed
and disseminated to each school. In application these
plans not only provide the necessary instruction,
guidance, and direction, but also delineate how to do
things, not just what to do. Site-specific information
(e.g., contacts, special needs students, areas of refuge,
etc.) and materials (e.g., floor plans, photographs,
etc.) are then simply incorporated within the plan.
The “boiler-plate” model also has the added benefit

as patrol, enforcement, and investigations. While more
and more departments are emphasizing the
importance of security, risk,
and threat management, a
strategic gap still exists.
These departments will be the
first ones to say that they don’t
have the requisite expertise
– in which case a qualified
security professional should
be sought out and consulted.
This is no different than hiring
an architect for long-range
facility planning, renovation and
construction projects. In fact, if
the architect you’ve hired for these
projects doesn’t have a security
consultant on staff or retainer, you
may want to question why not; as
their input ensures proposed space
designs/layouts will complement, not
oppose, security measures.
A number of school districts
throughout the country have
established security director/manager
positions. While all of these districts
should be commended for doing so,
they must be careful not to “designate”
the positions for emergency management
purposes only. It would be negligent not
to reiterate that model school security
programs successfully integrate all aspects
of security, risk, threat, and emergency
management.
Multiple factors go into deciding whether or
not the same type position should be created
for other districts. Such decisions are based
on a district’s Geographic Information System
(GIS) and site demographics – to include assessed threat
risks. A general rule would be that all large-sized districts,
most medium-sized districts, and few small-sized districts
require a security director and appropriate staff. Districts
not having an assessed need can either form a cooperative
among neighboring districts, establish and sustain a liaison
with a district(s) having a security director, and/or consult
with a qualified security professional.

Casey M
cCollum

of providing “train-the-trainer” expertise to school officials;
and a ready reference in certifying that each plan is
comprehensive and has been completed and/or updated.

Partnering with your community
Partnering and coordinating with first responders is also
essential to crisis management plans. There shouldn’t be
any question where police, fire, and medical services will
be dispatched from; and the types of services they provide.
First responders should be familiar with all schools and
know who their primary points of contact will be during
emergencies. They are the subject matter experts in their
chosen fields and should be relied upon accordingly.
However, security has become a specialized field requiring
subject matter expertise. The days of the “night watchman”
are long gone. Fire departments are the primary source for
related life safety issues and police departments for incident
response and traditional law enforcement functions such

Assessing Safety Needs
It is noted that said consultation may result in an express
need to conduct a security and/or risk assessment. If so,
security assessments must be clearly defined in scope – e.g.,
an assessment conducted only during school hours will not
offer findings essential to determining the level of safety/
security lighting, extracurricular activities, after-hours
pedestrian/vehicle circulation, etc. They should be both
November/December 2014 25

Board Members Need to Know

Safe Schools: What School

performance- and specifications-based,
incorporating a layered or concentric
process of security that thoroughly assesses:
(1) GIS; (2) site-plan and contiguous
environment; (3) facility envelope and
perimeter; (4) facility interior; (5)
utilities and communications; (6) school
operations; and (7) tests, training, and
exercises.
Risk assessments differ in that they provide
a comprehensive analysis (utilizing
multiple conditional probabilities and
severity of consequence factors) assessed
in context to and association with: (1)
empirical data, elements, and factors; (2)
school operations; and (3) Limitations,
Deficiencies, and Vulnerabilities (LDVs).
In closing, Crime Prevention through
Environmental Design (CPTED) is a
relatively recent concept that is being
looked at for safe schools. It was originally
developed to deter crimes of opportunity
and minimize loss prevention; while being
primarily used at industrial, military, and
commercial facilities. Even though there
are no national standards for CPTED
measures, there are accepted principles.

Properly utilized CPTED incorporates
strategies that utilize preexisting materials
and modify contemporary ones to
effectively deter criminal activity. While its
primary components of natural surveillance,
access control, territorial reinforcement,
activity support, and maintenance are
uniform, their application will vary
(especially where schools are concerned)
depending on the site environment, facility,
and operations. CPTED program success
is ultimately measured by evaluating the
impact strategies and measures have on
crime and whether those concerned have
positive perceptions of their own and
others’ personal safety/security.
Steve Swensen retired from the United States
Marshals Service, District of Minnesota in
2009; is the founder and Director of the Center
for Judicial and Executive Security (CJES);
and a nationally recognized subject matter
expert on security, risk, threat, and emergency
management. Steve’s wife, Kate, has been a
teacher in St. Paul Schools for more than
25 years and their youngest son currently
attends South Washington County Schools.
26 MSBA Journal

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Manage Your Program Better Than Ever

QUAL
IT

19 81

Chef
Inspired
Meals

Staff
Development
& Training

LUE
VA

INTEGRITY •
Y•

YEARS

2014

Optimum
Financial
Results

Committed To Serving
Fresh Wholesome Food

www.taher.com

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tel. 952-945-0505

RUPP, ANDERSON, SQUIRES
& WALDSPURGER, P.A.
Client Focused. Results Driven.
With over 100 years of combined experience
in the field of school law, our attorneys are
dedicated to providing customized, costeffective legal services that fit your needs.

Challenges and Opportunities
for Today’s Learning Mind
The opening keynote speaker, Kevin
Honeycutt, will delve into the multitasking, quick-researching, opportunity-seeking mind and seek
to help participants identify ways they can empower students
to become skillful in using the tools of today to become better
learners. Kevin will share ideas and powerful stories to inspire
you and reinvigorate your mission as an educational leader.

Biography:

94th Annual
Leadership Conference
January 15–16, 2015
Minneapolis Convention Center
Leaders must always lead by example, even more so
during this ever-evolving digital age. Successful school
boards must not only embrace technology — they
must get ahead of it. Proper, efficient use of today’s
technological tools can help students achieve greater
heights and assist school boards in sharing their success
stories to the public.
MSBA’s 94th Annual Leadership Conference will
offer motivational keynote speakers, a wide variety of
workshops, skills sessions and round table mini-sessions
to help you find new ideas and connect with other
school board members from across the state. You will
come away with a knowledge of the trends, tactics
and tools required to provide students with a 21st
century education. You will also learn how to leverage
technology to your advantage by telling bigger, better
stories about your schools.
30 MSBA Journal

Kevin — a current three-term school board
member in Kansas — grew up in poverty and attended school in
many cities across the United States. As he witnessed education
around the country, he collected powerful experiences that still
influence his conversations and his work with educators. He spent
13 years teaching K–12 art in public school, and for 17 years
spent summers leading creative adventure camps for kids of all
ages. In 1991 he received the Making IT Happen Award, which
is an internationally recognized awards program for educators
and leaders in the field of educational technology integration in
K–12 schools. The program identifies and rewards educational
technology leaders around the world for their commitment and
innovation. In 2011 he became an Apple® distinguished educator
and he continues to train students and teachers in the use of
Apple’s powerful learning tools. In his life, he’s gone from being
an at-risk kid doing stints in foster care to traveling the globe
talking to audiences of educators, business people and kids.

Jeff Charbonneau
Friday, January 16

Teach Each Other
Imagine an entire education system built
to look like a great classroom – where the
underlying theme to everything is positive
relations with the school board, students, staff, administration,
parents and the community. Our closing keynote speaker
believes that if we could put the real world of education first,
our problems would become much easier to handle.

Biography: Jeff was named the 2013 National Teacher
of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. He
teaches physics, chemistry and engineering at Zillah High
School (Washington), the same school he attended. Jeff is a big
proponent of STEM/STEAM education. He runs a statewide
robotics competition, while also serving as the school’s
yearbook advisor and assistant drama director. He helped
transform his small school into a place where nearly every
student graduates with some college credit.

Help new board members hit the ground running with this session. Phase I covers the role of the school board, the role of the
superintendent, and common scenarios facing new board members.

Phase II: Mandatory Training

8:45 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 14
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Tuition is $150. Walk-ins add $25.
Presented by MSBA staff and state experts. Phase II includes the financial training school boards are required to have by state
law. The session covers core topics such as the budget, school financing, local levies, policies, significant laws affecting school
boards, collective bargaining and personnel issues.

Presenters: Gary Amoroso, Executive
Director, Minnesota Association of School
Administrators; and Sandy Gundlach, Director
of School Board Services, Minnesota School
Boards Association
Evaluating the superintendent’s performance
is one of the school board’s most important
duties. MSBA and MASA believe that having
a positive working relationship between a
school board and its superintendent is critical
to accomplishing a school district’s mission and
priorities. One way to develop this relationship
is by having an effective, constructive
Sandy Gundlach
evaluation process and procedure that helps
drive school district improvement efforts. MSBA and MASA
worked together to develop a resource for school boards and
superintendents: “Superintendent Evaluation: A Resource for
School Board Members and Superintendents.” Workshop
participants will learn how MSBA and MASA approach
superintendent evaluation, become familiar with the new
“Superintendent Evaluation” resource, and walk through the
evaluation process from start to finish.
Gary Amoroso

This is essential training for new negotiators
and a great refresher for veteran negotiators.
Negotiating employee Master Agreements is
among the board’s most complex, technical
and stressful duties. This session is designed
to introduce new board members or board
members new to the negotiating team to the
negotiations process. Presenters will discuss
the Public Employees Labor Relations Act
(PELRA) and other laws that may impact
negotiations, and will take board members
through the negotiations process — from
choosing the bargaining team to reporting
the settlement.

Minnesota Association of School
Business Officials
Providing education, training and services
to staff that serve in school business
management
Minnesota Concrete & Masonry
Contractors Association
Masonry promotion
Minnesota Department of Education
Division of School Finance
Minnesota National Guard
State/government program – free
resources for people who work with
military families

From your first question through achievement of your goals, Nexus Solutions
will move your plan from study to action. With nearly 20 years of
public K-12 experience and hundreds of millions in successful projects
implemented, we’ll show you the answers to reducing cost while improving
your facilities for years to come. Contact Mike David at (612) 747-1003.

To extend our passion, dedication,
knowledge and enthusiasm into serving
each student delicious and nutritious meals.
To nourish the bodies, minds and spirits
of our students and pave the way for a
lifetime of success and well-being.

Becker High School Theater
Becker, MN

12 Long Lake Road
Suite #17
St. Paul, MN 55115

Architects
Educational Planners

architectsmla.com

THE NEW CHARTWELLS IS HERE!
eat.

learn.

live.

We improve the
well-being of
our students by
preparing fresh,
delicious and
nutritious meals
they love.

We build sharp
minds and strong
bodies with a
healthful, balanced
approach to school
dining.

We enrich the lives
of our students and
the communities
we live through
socially responsible
and sustainability
best practices.

We engage students
and all of their
senses through the
creation of new
and fresh dining
experiences that
improve their
school day.

We share our
knowledge of the
life-enhancing
benefits of good
nutrition with
students, our
families and our
communities.

high school students
are active for the
recommended 60
minutes each day.

of physical activity,
brain activity
improves.

What is the right answer?
7GLSSPW Kids spend 2000 hours

every year in school,which makes that the smart place
to encourage kids to eat right and get moving.

;IPPRIWW4VSKVEQW Programs like Fuel Up to Play 60

empower students to take actions like starting breakfast programs and
walking clubs. Community leaders, businesspeople and health
professionals can also assist schools in providing opportunities.

Extra credit:
Read The Wellness Impact: Enhancing Academic Success Through Healthy
School Environments at NationalDairyCouncil.org
Learn more about how Fuel Up To Play 60 is helping schools to take action at
FuelUpToPlay60.com

American College of Sports Medicine, American School Health Association,
GENYOUth Foundation, National Dairy Council, The Wellness Impact:
Enhancing Academic Through Healthy School Environment, March 2013.